Valemount Pines Golf Course and RV Park

The Valemount Golf Course. — Photo courtesy Ted Zimmerman

Learn to golf with Valemount's excellent introductory programs

The village of Valemount is located in between British Columbia’s peaceful and scenic Rocky, Monashee and Cariboo Mountains, and is home to the Valemount Pines Golf Course and RV Park. Arnold Wied, owner and general manager, said that there are beautiful views all around.

“The golf course is completely surrounded by mountains,” he said. “They’re close enough that they look like you can touch them.”

The course has a double-tee layout with nine greens, and Wied said that it is a great place for both families and beginners to play—especially with the introductory program they offer.

“We offer a free orientation for people who want to learn to golf,” he said. “They just have to make a reservation and then we show them how to play the game.”

The three-hour sessions come with all equipment supplied, so truly anyone can come out to learn the game. After learning the basics in the program, players can hone their skills at the variety of practice areas the course offers.

“We have a huge practice area with practice tees, chipping tees and a 300-yard driving range,” said Wied. “It’s great for beginners, or for experienced golfers, too.”

Course challenges

It’s family- and beginner-friendly, but there are a few tricky holes on the course as well. Wied said one of the elements that a lot of golfers find difficult is the dogleg layout of many of the holes.

“About half the holes are dogleg left or right,” he said, “and there’s forest between the fairways.”

The most challenging—and rewarding—holes that Wied claims for the course are Hole 5 and Hole 9, both with heavy trees and water obstacles.

“We have a lake behind the 5th green and behind the 9th green,” he said. “That creates a challenge when you’re shooting up to the green, because there’s an opportunity to lose your ball in the lake.”

The difficulty is worth it, though—the view from the 5th hole is one of the best at the course, which is why Wied said it’s his favourite.

“You’ve got the end of the Cariboo Range and you’re looking straight at the mountains,” he said. “Then there’s the lake behind the green and the driving range beyond that, so it’s a beautiful scene coming up from that. It’s one of the most scenic spots on the golf course.”

At a Glance

Where it’s at

One kilometre north of Valemount, which is 30 kilometres from the Alberta border and 120 kilometres from Jasper.

Yardage

Blue: front nine is 3,286, back nine is 3,209: total 6,495
Red: 3,001 front nine, 2,950 back nine: total 5,951

Par

72 – four par 5s, four par 3s, the other holes are par 4s

Course first opened

1994

Course record

73

Tee times

250-566-4550

Pro shop

8 a.m. until dusk

Course events

Annual Club Championship (open to men, women and children); Men’s Open, Women’s Open

Special golfing times

Ladies’ Day on Monday, Men’s Day on Wednesday, Future Links kids’ golf lessons on Tuesday nights

Other special features

Private and custom golf tournaments for weddings, birthdays, business functions or just for fun; 40 full-service RV and tent sites adjacent to the course.